Charles Dickens's Fan Club, Population: 2
by Cheryl Brink
Summary: AU. Rose Tyler is a nineteen year old shop girl, whose life is work, library, and home. When a new posh fellow comes around asking for Dickens's, her world is knocked out of kilter. As is his. Eighth Doctor/Rose Tyler
1. Chapter 1

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Rose blew a strand of hair out of her face, and continued to walk through the stacks of books.

She crouched down, and triumphantly, yet quiet said, "Gotcha!"

Rose held _Great Expectations_ in her grasp, and moved between the stacks to the checkout.

The librarian smiled at her, "Good to see you Rose! It's been too long. I was afraid you'd gone to another library!" She said, jokingly.

Rose smiled. "Who'd keep ol' Charlie company?"

They both chuckled, and the librarian checked out the book to her.

The librarian's eyes lit further, "I almost forgot! You have a rival in the Dickens's fan club!"

Rose's eyebrows knit together, "Really?"

"Really!" The librarian exclaimed. "This posh man came in yesterday and checked out nearly _every_ Dickens's book! He went mad trying to look for that one, so I told him you'd be here today and you'd help 'im."

Rose chuckled, "I don't need you playing matchmaker."

The librarian scoffed, "You come in here, everyday at the 6 o'clock, find a Dickens's or other old literature book, and sit in your little hiding place until 8 or 9! It's work, read, and home!"

"The only men I need in my life are dead authors." Rose said, starting to walk away, "If you need me, you know where I'll be!"

"Have fun in your book fort!" She shouted back.

Rose scoffed, at the thought of a man in her life. _What do I have to offer?_ She thought._ My library card and book fort?_

Rose walked up to her 'fort'. Rose had been coming to this library since she was six, and knew the librarian her entire life. When Rose was about twelve, the librarian gave her an extra room that wasn't being used so she could read in complete silence instead of sitting at a desk, or going to her home with her noisy mother. The room wasn't big, it was about 18x18 feet. Over the years she had collected a small, white Victorian loveseat that sat in the left corner of the room, diagonal from the door. The wall were lined with bookshelves, all mismatched. On the shelve were books, all worn out, taped at the spine, unloved books that the library was going to trash, but over the years Rose collected all of them.

All the selves were filled, and there were still little stacks on the floor. Rose closed the door behind her, and laid back on the love seat. She yawned, but was determined to read a good portion of the book. Within 15 minutes, the stressful day at work overcame her, and she fell asleep.

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A slight shake on Rose's shoulder roused her slightly. "Miss?" A voice said softly, trying to pull her out of the blanket of sleep that had fallen so abruptly upon her.

She cracked her eyes open, yawned, and rubbed her eyes. She looked up, and her eyes went wide.

A handsome man was inches from her, chestnut curls framing his face. He was wearing a Victorian outfit, and looked like he'd been pulled straight out of one of her books!

She blinked a couple more times, and rubbed her eyes once more. Sure enough he was real.

She cocked her head to the left slightly, and said, "Hello?"

He smiled sweetly, with an amused gleam in his eye, and looked around. "Love what you've done with the room."

Rose scratched her neck, "Yeah... everything lost, damaged, or just unwanted goes here. I fix 'em up, and find them a home on my shelves."

Rose looked back the strange man to see him staring at her. "What?" She asked, confused.

He smiled softly, and shook his head. "I do something similar."

"Really?" Rose said, interested. "Have a library of your own then?"

"I do," He said, smiling widely at the gleam of adventure in her eyes, "but I wasn't specially talking about books."

Rose's eyes knit, but before she could ask he said, "I was told you were the Dickens's expert. I was looking for _Great Expectations,_ but came up short. Do you happen to know where it may be?"

She blushed slightly, and handed him the book that she had dropped whilst sleeping. "It was in one of the secret stacks. Usually no one reads my kinda books, and Donna shelves them in little stacks for me."

"Donna?" He asked.

"The librarian." She clarified. "When Donna was younger her mm was the librarian her. She gave me this room. She passed about three years ago, and Donna took over for her."

He nodded slightly, and Rose stood. She was about an inch shorter than him, she noted. She guided him toward the checkout, but locked the door to her room before she was gone. She looked at her clock, "AH!" She exclaimed, looking up at him, "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I was supposed to be home an hour ago! My mum's going to _kill_ me!" Rose was about to run, but was stopped by the man's hand on her arm.

"I'm the Doctor by the way! What's your name?" 'The Doctor' said.

"Rose." She murmmered.

"Nice to meet you Rose!" He said,then flashing a manical grin, "Run for you life!"

She laughed as she ran out of the library, as did he.

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Continue?

-C.S


	2. Chapter 2

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"Afternoon Donna!" Rose said, walking in with an extra coffee in hand.

"You're my bloody hero." Donna said, holding onto the cup of coffee as a lifeline.

"It's your fault for misprinting the schedule." Rose said, raising an eyebrow at how the cup of coffee seemed to be Donna's only care. "Five a.m. on a Saturday. Donna, beside me, who'd be crazy enough to come in on a Saturday at five a.m.?"

Donna pursed her lips. "The five is right below the eight on the pad. I missed it."

"By three hours." Rose murmured.

Donna stuck out her tongue and said, "I'll tell you what, if you reshelf all of the books, I'll give you the damaged ones."

"Deal." Rose said, heading toward the stack. "_Bloody hell."_

Donna smirked, "Oh, did I forget to tell you? Finals for high school _and _college were yesterday. Good luck!"

_Well, _Rose thought to herself,_ I've got my work cut out for me._

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It was about two o'clock, and Rose had three more hours before she could get those damaged books.

Rose went over to the kid section, where they had jungle theme. Rose smiled, and grabbed onto the fake vine.

She swung forward, but was going backward, with no control.

Arms caught her, and her head was buried deep into a chest. Unconsciously, her arms were wound tight around whoever caught her, and she heard, "Trying gymnastics?"

She looked up to see the man from yesterday, inches from her yet again. She blushed, let go of her crushing grip, and said sheepishly, "I was in gymnastics when I was younger. Won bronze."

The man laughed whole heartedly, smile wide. "I was wondering if you knew where _The Signal-Man_ is in this library. I can't seem to find it."

"It's not in this library." Rose said, "Although," She added, "I have a copy of two."

"Do you think I can borrow one?" He asked.

"Yep," Rose replied, picking up the next stack of books that need to be shelved, "No problem. Just give me a sec."

The man took half the stack and said, "I'll help."

"There's really no reason, I can do it." Rose said, feeling bad.

"Well then," He said, smile growing wider, "Better with two."

After two hours of shelving, reviews, playing hide and seek, acting like children, and a lack of personal space, they headed toward Rose's door, Rose unlocking it.

They walked inside shutting the door behind them. Rose's brow furrowed, as she went through the shelves, looking for the book.

The Doctor sat on the loveseat, watching Rose's every movement.

"Aha!" Rose said, snatching the book from the highest shelf.

Rose walked over, and plopped next to him, beaming. "Here ya go!"

He looked at the book, and said, "Thank you! It been such a long time since I read it last!"

"S'No problem." Rose replied, "It's been a while since I read it too."

He smiled, and sat back in the seat. "Why don't I read it aloud? That way we both get to read it again."

Rose hesitated, but then sat back and smiled.

He started reading, going page by page, chapter by chapter, until both lost track of time. The gap between them seemed to disappear, and they gravitated toward each other. Rose's head was heavily leaned on his shoulder, eyes closed. His cheek leaned on the side of her head with him speaking softly, not wanting to break the comfortable atmosphere.

Although, the Doctor got a glimpse of his watch as he was reading, and frowned. He was half tempted to keep the information to himself, but he didn't want to get her in trouble. "Rose?" He said softly.

"Mmmhhm?" She hummed back, with a drowsy undertone, and still not moving or opening her eyes.

"Not that I don't love your presense, but I think I should warn you that it's midnight." The Doctor said, even softer.

She yawned, humming the same reply, he half smiled, and continued reading aloud to her.

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Rose snuggled futher into her pillow, not want to wake up. Such a nice dream...

Although, when she realized pillows aren't this warm, she opened her eyes. Only to shut them abruptly.

From the glimpse she got, she was still in the library, in her book 'fort'. _Must have fallen asleep here_. She mused. That's not made her eyes shut. Half of her was hoping she was still dreaming, and half of her didn't want this to be a dream.

She creaked her eyes open to confirm the she, Rose Marion Tyler, was fell asleep and was currently cuddling her new friend's chest.

Oh dear.

_Oh_ dear.

She felt an arm around her middle, and a warm, soft pressure on her head. "Good morning." A slightly drowsy voice above her whispered.

"Morin'." She replied sheepishly.

He yawned, and stretched his arms, and she got up slowly. "I should..uh...go.." She said awkwardly, pointing at the door, blushing harder than a tomato.

She ran out of the room, and the library before he could say anything, and it wasn't until she was home that she stopped.

"Where were you?" Her mom said from another room.

"Went to a pub with Donna, and fell asleep before I could phone." Rose lied easily.

"Alright. " Her mom said, easily buying it. "Meet any men?"

"Mom!" Rose said, sick of that question, but thought a moment and said, "Actually... I might've."

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Thoughts? Complements? REVEW!

-C.S


	3. Chapter 3

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The next few weeks were much the same. Rose would come from work and find him reading on the loveseat, and they sit together in comfortable silence and read. Other times they'd explore the library, all the creaks and crevasses, finding hidden copies of books, or long forgotten rooms.

Rose would often tell him of how she longed for a life of adventure, to go everywhere and anywhere. He often told stories (though heavily edited) of places he'd been, and what he's seen.

They often read aloud to each other, if Rose was reading, the Doctor often laid his head on her lap, and if the Doctor was reading aloud, Rose often laid on his chest, either reading along, or closing her eyes.

They fell into this routine, and it became part of their lives, and one day, Rose walked inside to find a blue police box in the center of the room.

"Doctor?" She called out.

Sure enough, his head popped out, and he smiled widely.

He gripped Rose's wrist and pulled her inside, watching as she took in all the surroundings.

"Well Rose," He said, looking her in the eyes, "This ship can go anywhere in time and space. Anywhere and everywhere. Where would you like to start?"

Donna walked into Rose's fort, looking for the sound of the wheezing noise that was so prominent a moment before. She looked around the room, swearing the sound came from in here, and also noting that she thought Rose had come in here. Shrugging, she closed the door, and locked it behind her.

Years later, after adventures and reunions, Donna opened a letter in her mail.

_Dear Donna Noble,_

_ You are invited to the union of Doctor John Smith and Rose Marion Tyler._

The letter went on, but at the very end of the page was a note in ink, in Rose's handwriting.

**_I guess I needed your matchmaking after all. _**

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A cute little ending to this small ficlet.

Thanks for reviewing, and all the favorites!

-C.S


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